Bathing cap



Jan. 5, 1954 F. w. ANDREWS 2,664,

BATHING CAP Filed March 10, 1949 K I F 'WW 'n Imc .2. '13 '13 J /1 1 5 m INVENTOR. 5 FREDWANDREWS.

BY v.

b Mdl ATTORNEKS.

Patented Jan. 5, 1954 art sts BATHING CAP Fred W. Andrews, Dover, Del., assignor to International Latex Corporation, Dover, Del., a corporation of Delaware Application March 10, 1949, Serial No. 80,587

2 Claims.

This invention relates generally to bathing caps and more particularly, to improvements in the so-called helmet type of rubber bathing cap.

As is well known, one of the major problems in the construction of bathing caps is to so form the cap as to prevent water from entering the interior thereof while being worn and, at the same time, afford maximum comfort to the user. Although many forms of construction have been suggested, practice has shown that no one of these adequately overcomes this problem. The so-called helmet type of bathing cap now in general use is constructed to project downwardly in the front and rear sufficiently to cover the wearers forehead and the nape of his neck, and thus, it can readily be appreciated that this type of bathing cap, because of its particular construction, renders the above problem even more pronounced. Further, the side panels in this type of cap present an additional problem of providing the requisite strength to resist tearing due to the localized stress imposed in pulling onthe cap and due to the attachment thereto of the chin strap.

In accordance with the present invention, a new and improved helmet type bathing cap is provided which is formed and constructed in a manner to render the cap watertight while, at the same time, providing maximum comfort for the wearer and suitable strength at the zones of localized stress Without undue bulkiness or waste of material.

Various'further and more specific objects, features and advantages of the invention will appear from the description given below taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, illustrating by way of example the preferred form of the invention. The invention consists in such novel features and combinations as may be shown and described in connection with the example of the invention herein disclosed.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a view in elevation of a helmet type bathing cap constructed in accordance with the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a sectional View taken along the line 2--2 of Fig. 1 and showing certain details of the cap construction; and

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary view, partly in section, of the inner surface of one side of the cap.

Referring now to the drawing the cap coiuprises a crown portion 5 adapted to cover the wearers hair, a slightly downwardly projecting forehead portion 6, neck portion 1 and side panels, respectively, indicated as 8-43 for covering the wearers ears. A suitable strap 9 having fastening means It! cooperatively associated therewith are shown for securing the side panels together beneath the wearers chin in a well known manner.

The forehead and neck portions and side panels of the cap may conveniently be referred to as the bottom portion thereof which is, in accordance with the present invention, integrally formed with the crown portion of the cap but i constructed with a wall thickness, indicated at l I, Fig. 2, preferably substantially twice that of the crown portion, the increased wall thickness being formed on the exterior surface of the cap (Fig. 2). It will be noted from Fig. 1 that the thickened bottom portion extends upwardly from the free or lower marginal edge of the cap to a line l2 defining the juncture between the bottom por- I tion and the crown portion and adapted to be positioned immediately below the hairline of the wearer when the cap is used. The thickened portion serves to prevent seepage of water into the interior of the cap and also serves to reinforce the lower free edge thereof against accidental. tearing, either when the cap is being put on or at any time thereafter. For convenience in manufacture, I have found that the wall thickness of the crown may be in the order of .015 inch and the wall thickness of the bottom portion in the order of .030 inch without affecting either the water-sealing effector the thickened bottom portion or the comfort'of the wearer.

To further insure against the seepage of water into the interior of the. cap, a plurality of ribs or ridges as at I3 are integrally formed on the inner surface of the thickened bottom portion, each rib or ridge being disposed in substantially parallel relation with respect to the lower free edge thereof. It will, be noted that these ridges do'not continuously extendabout the inner surface of thethic'kened portion; but extend along, the side panels" and are discontinued at the median forehead 'and neck portions. By providing discontinuous ridges, the forehead and neck portionsl'fi and 7, respectively, of the cap are formed of uniform thickness with smooth inner surfaces, such that the wearers forehead and neck will not be subjected to binding effects which might otherwise be produced if the ridges were continuously formed on the inner surface of the thickened bottom portion. To further relieve the wearers forehead and neck from pressures exerted thereon by the cap, I have so formed the ridges that the extremities thereof adjacent the rear and front vertical edges l4 and I5, produced when the cap is in a flattened condition, as shown in Fig. l, are of gradually diminishing thickness such that they gradually merge into the inner surface of the forehead and neck portions of the cap. I also find it desirable that the extremities of the ridges adjacent the front vertical edge of the cap be inwardly staggered, as shown in Fig. 1, with the extremity of the bottommost ridge being positioned nearest the vertical edge and the extremity of the uppermost ridge being positioned most inwardly thereof.

The ridges are formed with flat inner surfaces It adapted to snugly and comfortably engage the wearers head and to provide additional means for preventing the seepage of water into the interior of the cap. Added comfort is further provided by reason of the fact: that: the thickness of each ridge is substantially less than the. width thereof and since the ridges are spaced closely together, as seen in Fig. 2, they more adequately serve to prevent the seepage of water into the cap. The wall thickness intermediate the ridges [3 (Fig. 2) is preferably of approximately the same thickness as the portion H'.

The cap may conveniently be formed as a single and seamless unitary structure by dipping a suitable form into an aqueous dispersion of rubber latex, the form also being" constructed in sucha manner that a bead of rubber ll will be formed along the lower free edge of the cap serving toreinforce the edge against accidental tearing. To form the bottom portion of' the cap with a wall thickness of substantially twice that of the crown portion, that portion of the form corresponding to the bottom portion of the cap' may be repeatedly dipped into the aqueous dispersion of rubber. Or, if preferred, the bottom of the form may be coated with a suitable coagulant and retained in the aqueous dispersion of rubber fora period of time necessary to form the thickened'bottom portion of the cap.

While the invention has' been described in particularity with reference to the preferred form thereof, it readily will be understood by those skilled in the art after understanding the invention that further modifications and changes may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, as defined by the claims appended hereto.

What is claimed as new and; desired to be secured by Letters Patent of the United States 1'. As an article, of manufacture, a unitary, seamless, dipped, rubber latex bathing cap having, a crown portion adapted to. cover the wearers hair, and a bottom portion including depending side. panels adapted to. cover the wearers ears and front and rear portions adapted to engage the wearers forehead and neck, respectively said bottom portion being of greater thickness throughout than said crown portion and extending upwardly from the. lower marginal edge. of said cap to a line defining the juncture between said bottom portion. and said crown portion and above said line and to clamp the head along a line above the ears as well as along a line extendacross the ears without the use of additional devices.

2. As an article of manufacture, a unitary, seamless, dipped. rubber latex bathing cap having a. crown portion adapted to cover the wearers hair, a bottom portion including depending side panels adapted to cover the wearers ears and front and rear portions adapted to engage the wearers forehead and neck, respectively, said bottom portion being of substantially twice the thickness of said crown portion throughout and extending upwardly from the lower marginal edge of said cap to a line defining the juncture between said bottom portion and said crown portion and adapted to extend substantially along the hairline of the wearer at the neck and forehead and in a substantially straight line between the hairline of the wearer at the neck and the hairline of the wearer at the forehead, whereby the cap is provided with a circumferential elastic portion extending below said line which is adapted to clamp the head of a wearer tighter than the crown portion above said line and to clamp the head along a line above the ears as well as along a line extending across the ears without the use of additional devices, and a plurality of ridges integrall y formed on the inner surface of each side panel of said thickened bottom portion, each one of said plurality of ridges being formed with a fiat inner surface the width of which is greater than the thickness thereof, said ridges extending in parallel relation with respect to the lower marginal edge of said side panels and terminating at'points spaced from the median of thefront and rear portions.

FRED W. ANDREWS.

References Cited in the file. of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,349,206 Jefiers Aug. 10,. 1920 1,526,402. Moore Aug. 22,. 1922 1,771,178 Howland July 22,. 1930 1,950,08l. De Laney Mar. 6,, 1934 2,131,344 Crowley Sept. 2'7,v 1938 2,286,652 Sheffield et. al. June. 16, 1942. 2,520,048 Moore Aug. 22,. 1950 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 294,748 Great Britain Aug. 2, 1928 429,892 Great Britain June '7, 1935 

